Monkey bars, noodles and hay bales: a comparative analysis of social interaction in two school ground contexts

ABSTRACT

The school playground is recognised broadly in the literature as a crucial setting for children to develop social behaviours by engaging in a diverse range of physical and social activities. In this study, we examined children’s social interactions in two distinctly different primary school playgrounds – a school playground with fixed equipment, and a school playground with moveable play equipment. The aim of this research was to explore how primary school children’s social behaviours in schoolyard activities vary in two different playground contexts. Through field notes and observation scheduling, descriptions of the range of children’s social behaviours in the two school playgrounds emerged. This study provides some insights into how the development of schoolchildren’s social and emotional well-being can be supported, or hindered, by the physical design of playgrounds made available to children.

KEYWORDS:

• Primary school playground
• social development
• personal and social capability
• fixed equipment
• moveable equipment

Notes on contributors

Dr Linda Mahony is a Lecturer in Early Childhood Learning and Course Manager for the Bachelor of Teaching and Learning undergraduate teaching programme at Charles Darwin University that encompasses Early Childhood, Primary School and Secondary School qualifications. Previously she was a teacher of young children in schools for 20 years. Her research interests are in the field of promoting well-being and learning of young children and their families as well as teachers’ pedagogy for teaching primary school-aged children’s language and literacy, and early childhood preservice teachers’ practicum experiences and decision-making processes.

Dr Brendon Hyndman is Lecturer in Health & Physical Education within the School of Education at Southern Cross University (SCU). His research has been focused on schools as a crucial setting to develop students’ physical activity participation, health and overall well-being. As childhood is a time for students to understand the world through a variety of activities and play, his research has been guiding awareness of the range of influences and strategies to develop students’ engagement in physical activities via informal, pedagogical and curricular approaches.

Dr Georgie Nutton is a Senior Lecturer and Course Manager for the undergraduate teaching program at Charles Darwin University now incorporating both early childhood (birth to five years) and primary-aged children (to age 12 years). She has three decades of practice, policy and research contributions with particular interests in early childhood development, including access and equity in socially disadvantaged communities.

Dr Sue Smith is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at Charles Darwin University where she teaches Child and Adolescent Development and leads the Wellbeing and Sustainability research theme in the International Graduate Centre of Education. Her particular research interests are spirituality, cultural and religious diversity and well-being in education.

Dr Aue Te Ava is a Lecturer in Education in the School of Education at the Charles Darwin University campus in the Northern Territory. His research focus is indigenous/Pacific Health and Physical Education, Pacific men substance abuse in Australia as well as the Pacific, and health and well-being of indigenous populations in Australia.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Linda Mahony http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0350-3976

Brendon Hyndman http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7915-7021